Dimension After Dimension

It was raining outside the Ponyville Orphanage, though being inside was not much different to the outside, apart from there being no rain, and the icy, unforgiving atmosphere was creeping through the slight gap between the double doors at the front of the orphanage.

The receptionist, Sunflower Shine, was sipping at a strong, sweet smelling drink of some description, sighing softly as an orange unicorn with a bright, flaming yellow mane dashed through the foyer with a green pegasus close in pursuit. There was the occasional shout or scream or cry of a pony that had got into a scrap with another or had stubbed a hoof on a small step or just wanted attention.

This was a normal day for those at the orphanage.

Ponies generally enjoyed being at Ponyville Orphanage and it was always a sad but beautiful sight to everypony when a pony was adopted, though for one, life was a misery.

He had arrived at the orphanage on a similar type of day eight years earlier after being found wondering the backstreets of Ponyville with a broken wing and with nopony seemingly related to him. Sunflower Shine brought him in and had given him a room on the second floor. He had loved being at the orphanage and most of the ponies had originally been friendly to him - he was only two years old, after all, when he had first arrived.

However, as time went on, they discovered that he loved science and similar subjects and was cast out by the others who described him as a 'nerd'; He wasn't, he just had an interest, but they continued to bully and separate him from groups. Eight years later, he still had the same bullying.

His name was Winter Rush.

There was a sudden noise of galloping hooves and Sunflower Shine looked up from her desk to see the door squeak open and three pegasi step out of the torrent and into the dry reception area. "Welcome to Ponyville Orphanage! How may I help you today?" Sunflower Shine exclaimed in her soft, but confident tone.

Standing before her was a large blue-purple male pegasus with a short rainbow mane and a bright pink female pegasus with a blue mane. Between them stood a filly with a blue coat and rainbow mane. Each stood in the growing puddles beneath them in the middle of the carpet. The female pegasus stroked the filly's mane. "We saw a flyer in town and thought that we'd get a sibling for our little angel here." Replied the female pegasus, who had a bright and cheery tone, which contrasted with the weather outside.

An angry cloud rumbled outside.

"Well I hope that we can find the pony for you!" Sunflower Shine beamed. "Just follow me please."

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After half an hour of looking at all of the ponies there, not one had been right for the family.

As they began to walk through the television room towards the foyer and the entrance, Sunflower Shine started apologising, “I’m sorry that we couldn't satisfy you today. Maybe you could come ba-", she hadn't finished her sentence when the young filly shouted, "What about him?"

The three adults turned to face the filly who was pointing under the sofa. The male pegasus lifted the sofa with one strong hoof and exposed the curled up colt underneath. The colt had a blue coat and a dark and medium blue mane. He had retreated under there from the hateful remarks by the other ponies and had lain there sobbing softly to himself.

The colt blinked several times at them and the filly stuck out a friendly hoof towards him. He stared at the filly and then at her hoof. He slowly extended his own hoof and placed it on her's. "Winter Rush! There you are!" Exclaimed Sunflower Shine. She looked at the filly's parents. "I see your filly has made her decision!"

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After all of the forms had been signed and Winter Rush had packed his bags, the two adult pegasi said their goodbyes to the staff who replied the same to Winter Rush, closely following his new family. As the doors swung shut behind, Winter Rush felt something warm inside his body. He smiled to himself. It was a sense of freedom.